Composed with help from members of the
Worldwide Bi-metallic Collectors Club (WBCC)
and weekly published by Martin Peeters, Netherlands,
Focal Point of the WBCC
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Dear WBCC members and non WBCC members,

I hope you really enjoy reading this weeks WBCC Newsmail !! Because the
(Bi-metallic) Euros are comming, from now till December 31, the WBCC
Newsmail will start with news about the Bi-metallic Euros

1. Bi-metallic 1 and 2 Euro from the Netherlands..by Martin Peeters

Yesterday, December 14th, I got my first Bi-metallic 1 and 2 Euro from the
Netherlands in a free so called Eurokit (all dominations in it), which
everybody above 6 years gets for free. I could manage to get more of these
Eurokits and the dates are different (I've got date 2000 and 2001). Further
I both so called consumer packages containing all the Euro dominations
including the Bi-metallic 1 and 2 Euro dated 1999 and 2001. If you look into
the WBCC New Image page you can see how the Eurokit looks like.

Please notice: To get a complete overview of all the dates of all EU
Countries and NON EU countries of the Bi-metallic 1 and 2 Euro, please send
a message to the Bi-metallic Coin Forum pages of the Dates/Mintmarks of each
country you have really seen. Thanks!

2. Bi-metallic Euros from Spain by Jack Hepler and Jose Luis Ramirez

The Spanish 1 and 2 Euros were designed by Luis José Díaz. These
bimetallic coins show the head of the king of Spain, Juan Carlos de
Borbon y Borbon. Don Juan Carlos de Borbon y Borbon was born in Rome May
14, 1962, where the King Family lived since the proclamation of the II
Spanish Republic in 1931. His father was Don Juan de Borbon y
Battenberg, Count of Barcelona, The second son of the King Alfonso XIII.
Battenberg is the real family name of the famous Lord Mountbatten, the
last Indian Viceroy. His mother is Dona Maria de las Mercedes de Borbon
y Orleans. She was born in Athens, and is the first born of the kings of
Greece Pablo I and Federica. She has a beautiful hobby: she collects
coins.

3. Bi-metallic Euros from Monaco..by Wolfgang Schuster, Austria

The following news (unfortunally in German language) I have about the
(Bi-metallic) Euros from Monaco:

Last September 10th I visited the Royal Canadian Mint at Winnipeg. I saw in
production the new Bi-metallic 5 Bolivianos of Bolivia ! Till now there was
no article about this new Bi-metallic. Today I received from Robert Brokl of
the Czech Republic the following information:

WBCC member Manuel González of Spain was so kind to translate the text into
English language:

--Quote
Dear Gentlemen Collectors.
Write to inform them that in Bolivia the new currency of 5 Bolivians already
came out in circulation, the note of 5 Bolivians stopped to circulate in
substitution for the currency, I expect the information it is useful. For
any information they write. The currency of the cut of 5 Bolivians is
bimetallic. The center of the currency is covered with brass and it is of
golden colour. The external ring is made of steel, of silver color. Their
border has grooves that allow to identify it easily to the tact. It has a
lightly bigger thickness to that of the other currencies. Weight is of 5
grams, the external diameter is of 23 millimeters, its nucleus is of 16
millimeters and the thickness is of 1,9 millimeters. The currency of Bs5 is
made of stainless steel, its internal ring is veneered in brass. It was
coined by the Royal Canadian Mint. It was put in circulation in December of
2001. In the superior part of the obverse it details the legend THE UNION it
is THE FORCE In the superior part of the reverse it details the legend
REPUBLIC DE BOLIVIA
Victor H. Soliz Ayala
Oruro - Bolivia
--Unquote

A picture of this new Bi-metallic from Bolivia can be seen in the WBCC
website -New Images -

http://www.wbcc-online.com/new-releases/new-images.html

7.Bi-metallic from Hong Kong......by Kyle Mutcher, Canada

Here is some interesting info I found at the RCM site,

http://www.mint.ca/en/news/pr/index.htm

--Quote
Press Release
Royal Canadian Mint To Design, Produce and Market Coins For Hong Kong
Monetary Authority
December 11, 2001

Ottawa - The Royal Canadian Mint announced today that it will design,
produce and market a commemorative five coin set celebrating the fifth
anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR).

The 2002 Five Blessings Commemorative Coin Set represents the first time in
more than sixty years that Hong Kong has issued a commemorative silver coin.
The last silver issue for Hong Kong was struck in 1933.

"Our participation in Hong Kong's coin program builds on the Mint's strong
reputation for providing coinage to countries around the globe," said Royal
Canadian Mint President Danielle Wetherup. "I am extremely proud that the
Royal Canadian Mint was selected to commemorate this important milestone for
the Hong Kong regional government."

Each Five Blessings Commemorative Coin Set includes five silver coins
portraying design themes of traditional Chinese blessings. The standard
Bauhinia design representing the Regional Emblem of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region appears on the obverse of each coin. The coin set also
features a gold medallion with a symbol depicting "five blessings coming to
one's door" on the reverse and the Bauhinia design on the obverse.

Mintage of the Five Blessings Commemorative Set is limited to 60,000
worldwide, with 38,888 sets allocated to Hong Kong. Each coin has a face
value of HK$50.00 and contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper with a gold
plated inner core. The accompanying medallion is composed of 24-karat gold.
The Royal Canadian Mint will design, produce, distribute, and market the set
in Hong Kong exclusively.

The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting
and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. The Royal Canadian Mint is
recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world,
offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and
related services on an international scale. The Royal Canadian Mint has
established a global distribution network to bring the coins it produces
directly to its customers worldwide.

A Europe without frontiers is the theme on the bi-metallic 1 and 2 Euro
coins. The designer made complex modifications to the design of the coins
at the end of 1997, to take account of the requests made by the Member
States, with a view to improving the quality of the geographical
representation: Luxembourg was not visible on the 1 and 2 euro coins, the
problem was the same for Portugal on the 2 euro coin, Denmark was
surprised that the Island of Fyn was attached to the continent on certain
coins, Greece wished to have Crete depicted on the 1 and 2 euro coins,
Sweden wished to include the Island of Gotland, Finland the Island of
Aland and the United Kingdom the Hebrides, the frontier was missing
between Ireland and Ulster and between Spain and Portugal and the Spanish
wished the Canaries to be shown on the 1 and 2 euro coins.

The latest change in the one and two Euro removed an island from the
design. What is the name of that island?
a. Aland
b. Crete
c. Gotland
d. Hebrides
Please send your answer to me: Jack Hepler

Answer to Bi-metallic Quiz Game question #278.
Most of the Bi-metallic one and two Euro coins will feature the same
country (obverse) design. Of course, the reverse (common) side of all
countries will be the same. Five countries will have designs on the one
and two Euro that are different. Which of the following countries are
planning to have different designs on the obverse of the one and two Euro
coins?
a. Austria
b. Germany
c. Greece
d. Luxembourg
Answer to Question #278 is "a" and c. These countries have one and two
Euro coins with different designs.
Summary of answers to Quiz Game Question #277; 100% correct. Five
players. You may be able to see the answer to many future questions in
earlier Newsmail issues.

12. WBCC Auction 39...by Rod Sell, WBCC Auction Provider

I am now accepting lots for Auction 39 which will start when there are
sufficient lots or at the latest on the 5th January 2002.